HARRISON 



2705 



HARRISON 



}f Hamilton County, a remunerative position 

 ,vhich was most acceptable to him, for he was 

 r ar from wealthy. In the Presidential election 

 )f 1836 he received the largest vote of the 

 candidates opposing Van Buren. His candi- 

 iacy had not been pushed, and his popular 

 strength was a surprise to everyone. His show- 

 ng in this campaign and his clear, if somewhat 

 :olorless, political record made him the most 

 ivailable candidate of the Whigs in 1840. Clay 

 vas the real leader of the Whigs, but as a 

 Vlason he was opposed by a large element in 

 lis party, and as an advocate of a protective 

 ;ariff he could not win the support of the 

 South. So the choice of the Whigs fell on 

 ETarrison. 



The Whigs very wisely maneuvered to place 

 ,he personality of their candidate in the fore- 

 ground. They adopted no platform, and the 

 >nly issue was whether or not the Jackson-Van 

 Buren "machine" should remain in power. 

 5ven among the Democrats there was much 

 liscontent, for the financial policy of Jackson 

 md Van Buren was regarded as the cause of 

 he panic of 1837 and the following business de- 

 cession. To attract discontented Democrats, 

 he Whigs nominated for Vice-President John 

 Pyler of Virginia, formerly a well-known anti- 

 "ackson Democrat. The campaign was the 

 oost exciting which the United States had seen 

 ip to that time. "Tippecanoe and Tyler too" 

 vas the cry of the Whigs, and it was to his 

 nilitary record that Harrison's election was 

 lue. The election is often called "the log-cabin 

 ,nd hard-cider campaign." One end of Har- 

 ison's house at North Bend was an old log 

 abin, long since covered with clapboards. A 

 ampaign biography said that Harrison's table, 

 instead of being covered with exciting wines, 

 s well supplied with the best cider." At first 

 his simplicity received the jeers of the Demo- 

 rats, but the Whigs eagerly seized the oppor- 

 unity to make the democracy of their candi- 

 late a feature of the canvass. Wherever a 

 Vhig orator appeared there were sure to be 

 ainiature log cabins and barrels of excellent 

 lard cider. Harrison received 2-34 electoral 

 -otes to sixty for Van Buren. 



The President-elect was no longer young, and 

 porn out by the excitement <~ the campaign, 

 ell a victim to pneumonia before he had time 

 o show his ability in his new post. He was 

 ucceeded by Vice-President Tyler. W.F.Z. 



Consult Dawson's A Historical Narrative of the 

 Hivil and Military Services of Major-General 

 'larrison, an old book, but yet in print. 

 170 



Outline and Questions on 

 William H. Harrison 



I. Early Life 



(1) Birth and parentage 



(2) Education 



(3) Choice of military career 



II. Most Active Years 



(1) Early military service 



(2) As secretary of Northwest Terri- 



tory 



(3) As territorial delegate in Congress 



(a) Homestead laws 



(b) Division of the Northwest 



( 4 ) As governor of territory of Indiana 



(5) In the War of 1812 



(6) Political activity 



(a) Negotiations with Indians 



(b) As Representative in Congress 



(c) In state senate 



(d) As United States Senator 



(e) As minister to Colombia 



III. Culmination of His Career 



(1) Campaign of 1836 



(2) Election of 1840 



(3) Brief administration 



(4) Death 



Questions 



When was "Tippecanoe and Tyler 

 too" a rallying cry, and what did it 

 mean? 



How long was Harrison's administra- 

 tion? What other Presidents have died 

 in office? 



How did Indiana differ in his day 

 from Indiana to-day? 



When was a famous battle fought in 

 the dark? 



How many times did Harrison run 

 for President? 



Did he win his chief military fame 

 during a great war? 



What territory did he gain for the 

 country by his treaties with the Indians? 



What power was conferred upon him 

 which was wider than any man before 

 him except Washington had enjoyed? 



What part did "log cabin and hard 

 cider" play in electing a President? 



What other members of Harrison's 

 family have been famous? 



Who was the "Prophet," and what 

 part did he play in Harrison's history? 



Who sent the message "We have met 

 the enemy and they are ours," and to 

 whom did he send it? 



Under what famous Revolutionary 

 general did Harrison first serve? 



How did Harrison once prove his 

 great courage and coolness? 



